Category: keyt-local-news

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Many businesses have not opened their doors today in a national day of action.

Across the country, people have been encouraged to avoid shopping, school and work in solidarity with those opposing ICE enforcement, mainly stemming from the incidents in Minnesota.

Throughout the Tri-counties, you may have seen the lights out at numerous businesses in a message of solidarity with the workers and the owners.

Many put signs up on the door showing their support.

Some wrote more, including personal stories that connected them to their decision to shut down.

On the South Coast, we found closures at several sites including Pascucci, Los Agaves, Los Arroyos and Rudy’s.

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Caleb Nguyen

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KEYT) – Firefighters from the Ventura County Fire Department helped deliver a baby just before 10:00 a.m. Thursday on Highway 23 near the Olsen Road offramp.

VCFD crews noticed the mother in the driver’s seat going into labor before they helped her to an ambulance to the hospital.

Several fire engines and CHP helped to block off traffic for safe transport from a gurney to the ambulance, according to the VCFD.

VCFD fire crews wound up delivering the baby while the ambulance continued driving on the freeway.

The baby, named Andres, was born without complications, and both he and the mother made it to the hospital safely, according to the VCFD.

VCFD crews later visited the family in the hospital with flowers and congratulatory messages to the family.

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Caleb Nguyen

LOS ALAMOS, Calif. (KEYT) – A 15-year-old boy needed a helicopter airlift to Cottage Hospital Thursday just after 5:00 p.m., according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The teenager operated a tractor before it rolled over down a small hill, needing further treatment following the airlift, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

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Caleb Nguyen

LAS CRUCES, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara County Fire Department crews rescued a 31-year-old woman after she suffered an injury on Las Conovas Road just before 2:00 p.m. Friday.

The woman needed a trail rescue and transport to Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital via ground ambulance, according to the SBCFD.

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Beth Farnsworth

SANTA BARBARA, Calif (KEYT) – Academic honors and a financial boost were bestowed Friday morning on the most promising graduate students at The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara.

Maria Zate, Director of Communications, told Your News Channel that 61 students received fellowships during the annual 2026 Fellowship Breakfast.

The newest was established by UCSB alumni, Linda and David Forman, with the Linda and David Forman Fellowship Fund for Community Fellows Fund. That particular fund supports highly qualified fellows from low-income, first generation and, bilingual backgrounds.

Recipient, Sofia Arias Zarate, has been a PEAC (Program for Effective Access to College) fellow from the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) PEAC Foundation since high school. 

“They have helped me one step closer to my teaching career in Santa Barbara, which is where I grew up,” said Zarate. “I really want to give back to my community, it has been full circle.” 

The Community Fellows Fund is a partnership between the Gevirtz school, SBUSD and, philanthropic investors.

Private foundations and individual donors contributed to 27 funds this year totaling more than $200,000. 

“This fund covers all costs of the fellows’ teacher education experience,” Zate said, via email.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – UCSB is riding a 5-game win streak and will host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, 6 p.m. at the Thunderdome.

The Gauchos are giving away free tickets to kids k-12 while supplies last.

Details below.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA Calif. (KEYT) – Powerhouse San Marcos girls water polo is the fifth seed in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division playoffs.

The Channel League champion Royals will open up at #4 Orange Lutheran on Wednesday, February 4th to begin a round-robin Pool A bracket that also includes #1 Mater Dei and 8th seed Long Beach Wilson.

San Marcos is at top-seed Mater Dei on Saturday, February 7th and home to #8 Long Beach Wilson on Wednesday, February 11th.

Pool B consists of #2 Newport Harbor, 3rd seed Oaks Christian, #6 JSerra Catholic and 7th seed Corona del Mar.

The second place finisher in Pool A will play the third place finisher in Pool B and the third place finisher in Pool A will play the second place in Pool B on Saturday, February 14th.

The winner of those games will move on to the semifinals on February 18th at Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine and will play the winners from Pool A and Pool B.

The finals are scheduled for Saturday, February 21st at Mt. San Antonio College.

Dos Pueblos is in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoff and will host Marlborough in a first round game on Friday, February 6th.

The winner of the game will play a quarterfinal game against the winner of Palos Verdes at Agoura.

Also from D1, Buena is at Foothill.

In Division 2, Santa Barbara is the top seed and will host Poly of Riverside on Thursday, February 5th in a first round game.

The winner would meet the Edison/Upland winner in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, February 10th.

Also from D2, Carpinteria is at Temple City, Thousand Oaks hosts Woodbridge, Ventura is at Westridge and Camarillo hosts Rosary Academy.

In Division 3 Foothill Tech is at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in a first round game on Thursday, February 5th.

In Division 4 Santa Paula opens up the playoffs at home against Roosevelt on Thursday, February 5th while Nordhoff is at Cypress.

In Division 5 Royal hosts Sierra Vista on Thursday, February 5th.

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John Palminteri

ISLA VISTA, Calif. (KEYT) –  The effort to put the brakes on parking problems in Isla Vista is going into high gear with the hiring of a Parking Manager.

The Isla Vista Community Services District has posted the position and is taking applications.

The district says the goal is to reduce illegal parking, promote sustainability through alternative options, and enhance the livability and safety of Isla Vista. 

Jenna Norton is the Isla Vista Community Services District Public Works and Sustainability Manager. She says, “we deserve to have safe community where emergency vehicles have easy access.  We deserve to have intersections with  a clear view  so you are not at risk of hitting a  pedestrians or a  bicyclist .”

The program will involve outreach, education, enforcement and collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

There will also be a stepped up effort to write citations for vehicles that are illegally parked.

This includes vehicles in the red zones, by fire hydrants, across alley openings, around street corners and blocking ADA access points. .    There’s numerous violations on many streets.

“It is not going to be strictly writing citations although that is part of the job.  We are looking for someone who see’s the bigger picture of what a huge impact this program  will have for the safety and well being of our community,” said Norton. “The blocked sidewalks the blocked curb ramps it is something most people don’t think about but it is so detrimental.”

The offenses are very common in IV and it causes safety problems throughout the very tight and highly populated community.

Dulce Vallerga is a UCSB Senior and an Isla Vista resident and says, “I see people parking in spots where you shouldn’t be parking but where else can you park?”

Some residents have to walk blocks to get to their front door after they park.

It is something resident feel frustrated about. Loren Maher said, “it has just become so normalized, parking in red zones and hanging  out in the driveway is so the crosswalk and the sidewalk is covered, it is so normalized.”

It can be very difficult to fit in what is open. “Sometimes there is a spot, but I actually don’t know how to parallel  park but I get frustrated because that is the only spot available for me.”

Araceli Avina said “I feel like if no one does anything it is just going to continue.  I know people are going to think parking fines are the way to go but you have to try something in order to know if it is going to work or not. “

Hearing about a ticket plan, which is already in place with the Sheriff’s Department, Shawn Singh said, “I think it will be a hardship on me and a hardship on everyone. The school is only getting bigger, they are accepting more people  more and more people going to college . “

The deadline to apply for the manager post is February 6th.

For more information go to : IVCSD.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Preparations for the 2026 calendar of events at the Santa Maria Fairpark are underway at the same time the facility’s Board of Directors continues to search for a new permanent chief operating officer (CEO).

The Fairpark, which is operated by a state entity officially known as the 37th District Agriculture Association (DAA), has been without a CEO since the departure of Caitlin Miller last March.

“We are still advertising actively for a CEO,” said Kevin Merrill, Santa Maria Fairpark Board President. “We need one desperately. Any company needs a leader and we certainly need one here. We’re lucky that we have some folks helping us from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) who have stepped up, and we have a CEO from another fairpark helping us right now get through this time that we’re in the in the waiting period.”

Merrill indicated there has been a number of factors that have prevented the Board from filling the CEO position.

“The CEO project, it’s kind of a bureaucratic process working through the state,” said Merrill. “We have to hit certain criteria. And, you know, in Santa Maria is not a cheap place to live and so when people are looking at relocating or coming along to the Central Coast, which is a beautiful place to live, one of the hangs up is, of course, the cost of living here. People really look at that, and so we’re working through those things to see what we can do to entice that position and make it a little more friendly, both economically for them and work with CDFA to fulfill their requirements.”

As the ongoing search stretches on into a new calendar year, planning for the year, especially for the two marquee annual events, the Santa Barbara County Fair and Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival, are having to carry on.

“We’re moving forward even without the CEO position,” said Merrill. “We had a we have a part time, help from another fair park and they’re helping guide our staff, which are really doing a great job. We’ll get these things done, but of course, it’s always better to have a CEO here.”

While the search is ongoing for a new CEO, the Fairpark is set to add a major new attraction to the facility later this year.

The Board is close to finalizing a deal that would relocate the popular Santa Maria BBQ Festival from Pioneer Park to the Fairpark.

“We’re really excited about the Santa Maria BBQ Festival finding its new home here at the Santa Mair Fairpark,” said BBQ Festival Coordinator Jaime Flores. “We’ve been in talks with them over the last few months about relocating the event. We’ve outgrown the venue at Pioneer Park, so this will be the eighth year, and right now the goal is to move it into the month of September, over the weekend of the 18th through the 20th.”

In addition to the future relocation, Flores added the BBQ Festival will dramatically expand in scope and size.

“Going forward, it’s going to be a three-day event, a true celebration of Santa Maria Style barbecue,” said Flores. “Friday night we’ll have our kickoff, with a with a dance party and lots of entertainment. We’ve also rebranded it. It’s now the Santa Maria Barbecue and Music Festival. The music element is being added to the event over the entire weekend with music all the way through Sunday night. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be the new dates of the events. We’re super excited to also announced the comeback of the Santa Maria Beer Festival. It’ll be on Sunday, September 20th that same weekend, so Saturday will be the barbecue competition, Sunday, the beer festival, and then music and entertainment all weekend long.”

In addition to the those new elements, Flores added there will also be a carnival added to the festival as well.

“There’ll be carnival rides and activities for the kids,” said Flores. “It’s family friendly. The event is going to be a free event to attend. What people will be paying for is going to be the barbecue sampling during the competition, and then of course, the beer tasting during the beer festival, so those would be the paid tickets that you’ll be purchasing, but other than that, the community, the out of towners, and all those that enjoy barbecue are welcome to join us all weekend long.”

Another notable change set to take place this year will be a significant change to the Santa Barbara County Fair.

Merrill said plans are in the works to open the Fair for a three-day run on the weekend before the traditional Wednesday opening day.

The Santa Barbara County Fair webpage on the Fairpark website lists the Fair to run from Friday, July 3 through Sunda, July 5 and from Wednesday July 8 through Sunday, July 12.

The Fair will be closed to the public on Monday July 6 and Tuesday, July 7, except for the local junior agricultural students.

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Jarrod Zinn

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Business students at Cal Poly are activating their free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, weekend clinics.

Individuals and families who made $67,000 or less in 2025 automatically qualify for the vita program.

“About 50 years ago, there was this professor at California State University, Northridge,” says Grace O’connor, a student at Orfalea College Of Business. “He noticed this growing problem with tax preparers scamming taxpayers. So he started this program, and people lined up out the door. And from there, the IRS turned it into a national, sponsored program where Cal Poly is proudly one of 9500 sites.”

At Cal Poly, the clinics run from 9:30 to 2 every Saturday at the Orfalea College of Business.

There will also be clinics in Santa Maria and Oceano.

“Our Oceano clinic at Lucia Mar School will open next weekend, as well as our Santa Maria office at Allan Hancock College,” says Symon Marcotte, another student at Orfalea College Of Business.

Current business students at the clinics provide free help with completing both federal and state tax returns. They’re trained to help people make sure they’re claiming every eligible deduction and credit the IRS provides. 

“I think a lot of people don’t realize that, they may be eligible for more credits and refunds than they may think,” says O’Connor.

They also assist with filing returns electronically.

“The income limit has expanded in comparison to last year, specifically,” says O’Connor. “And with that being said, more people can qualify and more people can be a part of our student run program.”

Student volunteers say many people struggle with how complex tax filing can be at times.

“And I think a lot of, people take bad advice,” says Marcotte. “So instead of consulting with a professional, they just, go with what their friend told them, and maybe their friend didn’t see it from a very great source.”

The clinics will be held every Saturday except Valentine’s Day, between now and March 14th.

For more information on Cal Poly’s VITA weekend clinics or to see if you qualify for their assistance, you can get started clicking this link to visit their website.

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